Sheet material cutter



.Funezi, 1938. J A BASSETT v 2,121,681

SHEET MATERIAL CUTTER Filed Aug. 14, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Inventor @755 ffl .sse

A iiorneys June 21, 1938.

J. A. BASSETT SHEET MATERIAL CUTTER Filed Aug. 14, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Attorneys Patented June 21, 1938 PATENTQFFICE "2,121,681 SHEET. MATERIAL CUTTER I g Joseph A; Bass ett, North Fork, Nev.

' Application-August 14, 1937, Serial-No. 159,177 qzicn s; (01. -293) u N 1 En,

This invention relates to an improved and novel hand tool for cutting sheet material; especially rawhide and leather, whereby to facilitate cutting pregauged strings to be used by saddle makers and cowboys, and the like.

Admittedly, there is a long felt need existing for the development and perfection of a satisfactory hand-type cutting tool such as is required to efficiently cut so-called leather strings such as are employed in belt lacings and braided 4 work of different types. With this suggestion and challenge in mind, I have therefore evolved and produced a simple and economical hand cutter which will do the work well and which adapts itself to satisfactory cutting of water soaked rawhide, buckskin and old and new sheets of leather and equivalent material.

In selecting what I now believe to be well chosen features, I have brought into being a unique hand cutter susceptible of accommodating an ordinary penknife blade and characterized by a body formation which functions as the platen, this being equipped with guard and gauge means coacting with requisite precision to determine the width of the string to be cut and to permit uniform properly gauged cutting thereof.

Other features and advantages will become more readily apparent from the following description and drawings.

In the drawings, wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the views:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a tool constructed in accordance with my ideas showing the manner in which the same may be used.

Figure 2- is a view like Figure 1 with the work or sheet of leather removed to expose the details with greater clarity.

Figure 3 is what may be called an end view,

that is, an end elevational view detailing the blade mounting.

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the body or platen forming plate with the guard and gauge and blade removed.

Figures 5 and 6 are sections on the lines 5-5 and 6-6, respectively, of Figure 2.

Figures '7 and 8 are perspective detail views.

Referring now to the drawings by distinguishing reference numerals, it will be observed that the main or body unit is denoted by the numeral 9. This is preferably constructed from metal and may be said to be of general U-shaped form in cross-sectional dimension. It includes a flat platen-forming plate or base I0 having spaced parallel depending longitudinal side flanges II finger 24.

and I2, respectively. The flange I2 is thickened somewhat at one end and provided with a slot I3 forming an appropriate sheath to accommodate the removable and renewable cutting blade I4. Incidentally, the blade is held in place by 5 a set screw I5 threaded into the so-called sheath. On the opposite flanged end is an outstanding portion laterally offset to define a shoulder as at I6. The numeral I I designates an appropriately arranged offset shank to accommodate the 10 hand-grip I8. Finally, the numeral I9 designates a screw-threaded hole to accommodate the binding screw 20 which serves to hold the gauge 2| in place. The gauge is shown to advantage in the perspective view in Figure 8 and comprises a 15 simple block-like slide having a slot 22 to accommodate the clamping or binding screw 20. Then, too, it is provided on one longitudinal edge with an outstanding right angularly disposed lug 23 which underlies the guard finger 24. The guard 20 finger itself overlies the plate I0 in spaced parallelism as shown to advantage in Figure 5. Thus, this stabilizing lug 23 is interposed between the finger and the base plate. It serves to stabilize the guard and gauge permitting them to main- 25 tain proper alignment abreast each other. The

guard finger is provided with a downturned attaching tang 25 slotted as at 26 to accommodate a binding screw 21 which threads into a hole provided therefor in the downturned flange II. 30 The free end portion of the guard finger is provided with a kerf or notch 28 which serves to properly seat and stabilize the right angularly disposed cutting blade I4. It is to be noted that the attaching tang 25 rests against the shoulder 35 or abutment Iii as disclosed in Figures 1, 2, and 5. Assuming that the parts are assembled as brought out in Figures 1 and 2, it is evident, from Figure 1, that the sheet of leather A is slipped into the space between the base or platen-form- 4,0 ing plate I0 and the overriding guide and gauge The gauge 2I is set to regulate the width of the edge or cutting B which forms the so-called rawhide string to be used for weaving and other braid work. Obviously, by catching 45 hold of the handle and holding the sheet A in a vice or other stationary clamp, it is possible to draw the knife along in a longitudinal direction maintaining one edge of the sheet against the gauge 2!. It follows, therefore, that these 50 parts may be regulated with respect to each other to provide the desired spacing and to maintain uniform width in the out.

It is to be pointed out that by having the slot 26 and the downturned attaching tang 25 of the 55 1. A cutting tool of the classvdescribed comprising a base plate having a, sheath, a cutting blade mounted adjustably in said sheath, said plate being further provided with a depending flange shouldered at one end, a guard finger disposed above the work receiving side of said plate having a kerf atone end receiving the cutting edge of said blade, having a slotted attaching tang at the opposite end engageable with said shoulder, and a binding screw to maintain said slotted tang adjustably in place.

2. In a sheet material stripping tool of the class described, a body including a work resting plate having down-turned spaced parallel longitudinal flanges, a shank, and a hand grip carried by said shank, one of said flanges being slotted to provide a blade accommodation and receiving sheath, a guard finger overlying said plate in spaced parallelism and provided at one end with a right angularly disposed attaching shank, said attaching shank being adjustably connected with the adjacent flange, a slotted-block-like gauge element slidably resting on said plate, one edge thereof being in abutting contact with the adjacent edge of that portion of the guard finger over-lying said plate, said gauge element being provided on said one edge with 2, lug interposed between the guard finger and plate, and a setscrew carried by said plate and independent of said guard finger and inserted through the slot in said gauge element.

JOSEPH A. BASSETT. 

